


Rebels

by SamCyberCat



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, M/M, merman Rin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-16 03:25:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15427989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamCyberCat/pseuds/SamCyberCat
Summary: Sousuke spends his afternoon off making a pork bun delivery to an unusual friend he met at the docks.





	Rebels

**Author's Note:**

  * For [donguris](https://archiveofourown.org/users/donguris/gifts).



> A short SouRin drabble featuring merman!Rin AU for Donguris, as a thank you for donating to my kofi!

The water was cool against his feet on such a hot day. It was quiet down at the docks, which was always a bonus. Sometimes Sousuke would chat with the fishermen when they came back, but in the early afternoon, there were hardly any boats around. He could relax, listening to the lapping of the waves against the old bricks and smelling the salty air. It was a strong smell, but Sousuke had lived here his whole life, so he was comforted by it. Whenever he travelled away, coming back to this would always make him feel like he was home, almost as much as his family's cooking did.

But getting to soak his feet in the water as he sat on the steps of the dock wasn't the main reason that Sousuke came here, nor were any of the homely feelings that this place brought about. In truth, the reason that Sousuke came here was actually something that was new and exciting, although he assumed people would think he was crazy if he ever talked about it.

He'd been sat for more than an hour by the time his eyes caught a glimmer of red flash against the otherwise blue water and... yes, there he was.

Rin surfaced, looking for all the rest of the world like a far too ambitious swimmer, underdressed for the chilly tide. Even in the middle of summer, swimming here was prohibited. Mostly because there were too many boats around, but also because it just wasn't a great place for swimming in general. Sousuke would know – he'd tried it before. That was exactly how he'd met Rin a few weeks ago.

Yet Rin was no foolish swimmer. He was something... very special.

“Sousuke, did you bring anything today?” Rin asked.

Sousuke snorted; “Huh. Sounds like you only come to see me for my food.”

“Well, you told me that the Yamazakis are the best chefs on the surface, so you can't blame me for being eager,” retorted Rin.

That might have been an exaggeration, but in Sousuke's mind, his family were the best. Nanase might've said otherwise, but Nanase wasn't here to defend himself to Rin. With that in mind, Sousuke reached into the bag next to him and took out a plastic container, the inside of which was slightly damp from the steam of the pork bun.

Meat was Rin's favourite, Sousuke had learned. He'd brought many different kinds of food from the restaurant for Rin to try, but the meat dishes were the ones that got the best reaction. Rin swam over to grab the bun as soon as Sousuke held it out. Then he watched as Rin spent the next few minutes devouring it.

“Like it?” Sousuke asked.

“Yeah, s'good...!” Rin said, between mouthfuls, “Yamazakis really are the best.”

“You can say that again,” Sousuke replied.

Rin finished the pork bun, licking the sauce off his webbed fingers before swimming over to the steps. He hitched himself up on them, even though he should know better than to risk exposing himself like this. Sousuke reasoned that anyone looking from a distance would just see two people sitting together, so long as Rin kept his tail down in the water. There was nothing he could do to hide the red scales around his waist, but Rin wouldn't even try to hide them anyway – he was far too daring for that.

“How have you not been caught before I found you?” Sousuke asked.

“Because I swim much faster than your slow boats,” said Rin, thumping his chest proudly with one hand. That seemed to be a merman thing.

“You swim much faster than me as well, yet you still let me catch you,” Sousuke said, with a slight hint of jealousy. Sousuke was a strong swimmer, but even he couldn't compete with someone who had a fish tail instead of legs.

Rin looked at him as if the answer was obvious; “...I wanted to meet you. None of the other humans have swam out ever since I came here. You were the first.”

“That's because swimming isn't allowed at the docks. If you went around to the beach, then you'd probably find a lot more people swimming,” Sousuke pointed out.

Given how fast and far Rin would boast that he'd travelled, Sousuke assumed that he would've been to the beach already. There had to be a reason that he avoided it and that reason turned out to be an obvious one.

“We're not supposed to go too close to human beaches in case we get caught,” Rin said, “We're supposed to stay away from fisherman for the same reason, but I like living at the docks. There's always lots to see and this nice guy brings me food every day.”

“Huh. Maybe that nice guy is just a sucker,” Sousuke snorted, “I guess we're just a couple of rule-breakers then. You living where you shouldn't and me swimming where I shouldn't.”

“Is there a human word for people like that?” Rin asked.

“I guess you could say we're rebels,” said Sousuke, “Although probably the tamest rebels in the world, since we aren't really harming anyone.”

“Rebels...” Rin echoed. Then he grinned; “I like being rebels with Sousuke. Just as long as he keeps bringing me the great Yamazaki food.”

“Don't plan on stopping,” Sousuke assured him.

But that was when Rin's head pricked up to look around and Sousuke knew what that meant. Perhaps Rin was daring, but he wasn't a fool. The only reason Sousuke had caught Rin was because Rin had let him. But Rin would not let the fishermen do the same.

“Are the boats coming in?” Sousuke guessed.

“Yeah, two of them,” said Rin, before turning to look at Sousuke again, “I should go...”

“That's fine, I'll meet you here again tomorrow,” said Sousuke. He'd say at the same time, but Rin didn't have much concept of time and just turned up whenever he pleased.

“I look forward to it!” Rin chimed.

Then he reached forward and lightly bumped his head against Sousuke's, which Sousuke gathered was a merman way of saying goodbye. Or at least a Rin way of saying goodbye. With that, Rin slid off the steps and back into the water, watching Sousuke for a moment, before he backed away further into the water. Rin leaving always made Sousuke feel disappointed. He'd have to find somewhere that they could meet up and not be disturbed so easily, but for the moment, these brief meetings were fine.

“See you tomorrow. And stay safe,” Sousuke called, as he got to his feet.

“You too! And bring more pork with you tomorrow,” Rin replied, “Maybe some beef as well.”

Pork and beef in the same bun? Rin truly was a rebel. Sousuke just laughed, watching as Rin disappeared into the waters, a quick shimmer of red the only trace that he'd been there before he was gone.

Sousuke stood on the steps for a while longer, just watching the space where Rin had been. He would talk to the fishermen once they reached the docks, he always did, but these days the only thing on Sousuke's mind was Rin. He doubted that would change any time soon.


End file.
